Padayanivettom Devi temple is located at Vallikunnam in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi – Durga Devi and Goddess Bhadra. The 10-day annual festival in the temple is held in such a manner that it concludes on Medam 1 (Vishu day).
Padayanivettom Devi Temple Story
Legend has it that at the middle of night during a temple ritual, people saw two divine women. The women were seen when the Padayani ritual light fell on them. Soon the women were not to be seen. A Deva Prashnam was conducted and it was revealed that the two unearthly women were Goddess Durga Devi and Goddess Bhadra Devi.
The people of the region decided to build a temple for the goddesses. As the goddesses were seen in the light (vettom) of Padayani festival, they temple came to be known as Padayanivettom.
The annual festival in the temple is famous for Padayani and Kettulsavam (kettukazhcha). Tantric pujas and rituals are part of the annual festival. The temple traditional temple performing art forms, melam, ezhunnallathu and cultural programs are part of the annual festival.
Jeevitha ezhunnallathu of both the deities are part of the annual festival and rituals.
The traditional Kerala style temple has a chathura sreekovil, namaskara mandapam, kodimaram, chuttambalam and shrines of upa devatas.